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Wednesday football as it happened

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By Chris Bevan

2204: Time for me to go folks. No shortage of goals from the English teams in this week's Champions League matches, so can Fulham (at Juventus) or Liverpool (at Lille) match them tomorrow? Join Fletch to find out... and I'll see you at the weekend. Nighty night.

From tweeting_keith on Twitter:
"No imagination went into Real's spending spree last summer. They just bought everyone and anyone. Fergie must be pleased."

2158: Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson on Wayne Rooney's goalscoring feats after the England striker scored his 29th and 30th club goals of the season to help his side demolish AC Milan: "Wayne Rooney has been absolutely sensational this season and I'm delighted he's got to 30 goals already. Can he surpass Cristiano Ronaldo's 42 goals of the 2007-08 season? That's the challenge isn't it."

2157: BBC Sport's Phil McNulty at Old Trafford: "David Beckham is taking his final glance around Old Trafford as news of Real Madrid's exit from the Champions League is announced, This just about caps the perfect evening for Manchester United. Sir Alex Ferguson's side dismissed Milan and as Beckham went off as a part of United's glorious past, Wayne Rooney demonstrates once again he is the shining symbol of their future."

2156: It's all over at the Madejski Stadium too, where Reading have completed a 4-1 win over Derby and are now four points clear of the Championship relegation zone.

2154: Real Madrid's exit means they have gone out of the Champions League in the first knockout stage for each of the last six seasons. The final will be at the Bernabeu in May, but Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and co will not be there (unless they get tickets).

From acmilandrew on Twitter:
"We just got thumped 4-0 and all David Beckham cares about is the reception he got. He should be more embarassed than I am!"

2149: It was a stroll for Manchester United on the field, and they have marched into the last eight of the Champions League by demolishing AC Milan tonight. I was going to say 'an aging AC Milan' but I think we should give full credit to United for a sparkling display.

2146: It's been a good night if you like goals, but not so good if your name is Robbie Savage. Football League Danny will tell us more: "Simon Church makes it Reading 4-1 Derby, with about five minutes to go. It has, frankly, been a horror night for the 10-man Rams and their Savage stand-in keeper."

2145: Burnley stay in the bottom three of the Premier League after picking up a point against Stoke, and the Clarets have now won only one of Brian Laws' first nine games in charge.

2143: FULL-TIME Burnley 1-1 Stoke

2142: David Beckham, who left the field wearing an 'anti-Glazer' green and gold scarf, on his AC Milan side's 4-0 defeat on his return to Old Trafford which sent Manchester United through with a 7-2 aggregate victory: "It's a disappointing night because we lost the game but coming back here is always special. I got an absolutely incredible reception from the United fans, and I have to say thank you."

2138: Three minutes of injury time to be played at Turf Moor, where Burnley are now the side looking the more likely to go on and win the game. Not long left for them to do it, mind.

2137: FULL-TIME Real Madrid 1-1 (agg 1-2) Lyon

2135: FULL-TIME Man Utd 4-0 (agg 7-2) AC Milan

2135: Pippo Inzaghi misses a sitter for AC Milan, meeting a David Beckham cross but shinning his shot wide. The Italians won't even get a consolation tonight.

2133: Real are in big trouble at the Bernabeu, where they still need two goals but the 90 minutes are already up. In fact, Lyon have gone close to scoring again, with Lisandro Lopez missing when he had time to pick his spot.

2132: Here's Football League Danny again, with more news from that remarkable match at the Madejski Stadium: "Derby goalkeeper Robbie Savage is beaten. Ryan Bertrand fires the ball past the Rams stop-in stopper and it makes it Reading 3-1 Derby. Savage making a good impression between the sticks for the 10-man visitors, it seems."

Man Utd goal: Milan's misery continues, with a magnificent cross from Rafael met at the back post by Darren Fletcher, who beats Christian Abbiati with his header. The icing on the cake for United, who have been top class tonight.

2129: GOALFLASH Man Utd 4-0 (agg 7-2) AC Milan (Fletcher)

2126: Joel and Avi Glazer are at Old Trafford tonight... to hear Manchester United's fans protest against them for most of the match. oh well, at least they've enjoyed the game. United are pressing for a fourth here but Darron Gibson has just lashed wastefully over after a clever flick by Nani gave him space to shoot.

2122: That David Beckham can still whip a decent cross in from the right can't he? I hope he gets the chance to have a pop with a free-kick too, maybe from the same sort of range he scored from against Greece for England at OT in 2001...

Lyon goal: That's put the cat amongst the pigeons. The ball bobbles around the Real area before Miralem Pjanic pounces to strike with a powerful finish from the left-hand side of the penalty spot. Real Madrid have 15 minutes or so to score two goals otherwise they are out... time to press the Pjanic button?

2118: GOALFLASH Real Madrid 1-1 (agg 1-2) Lyon (Pjanic)

2117: What would cap tonight for Man Utd fans? How about a special goal by AC Milan midfielder David Beckham? He's just gone awfully close to doing just that, with a full-blooded volley from the edge of the area that flew straight at Edwin van der Sar. Either side of the keeper and that would have been unstoppable... instead, the Dutchman just fisted it away.

2116: It's gone very quiet at Old Trafford, where the game is over as a contest and the Man Utd fans seem to be done with their protests against the Glazers. Darron Gibson is on for Paul Scholes now too.

2115: In Madrid, Lyon are still having the better of the second-half against Real - no clear-cut chances for either side for a while there, and with less than 20 minutes left, the closing stages might be a wee bit tense.

2112: Another change for AC Milan, not that it matters too much now. Pippo Inzaghi is on for Marco Borriello.

From TorreSamK9 on Twitter:
"Take from it what you will, but this is the poorest Milan side I have ever seen. Man Utd haven't even got into top gear yet."

2109: Nicklas Bendtner and Darren Bent both got hat-tricks last night but there will be no treble for Wayne Rooney this evening. He has just been replaced by Dimitar Berbatov. Rafael is on too, for Gary Neville.

2107: Yep David Beckham is on for AC Milan, getting a brilliant reception after replacing Ignazio Abate. Becks has got 25 minutes to conjure up the four goals his side need to rescue this tie. Not much of an ask then...

2106: Here he comes...

2105: Erm, is it worth me telling you that Man Utd v AC Milan can no longer go to extra-time?

Man Utd goal: That's the tie done and dusted. Paul Scholes makes the goal, playing in Ji-Sung Park with a deft through-ball. Park finishes it with aplomb, taking a clever touch to lose his marker and burying his shot low into the opposite corner of the net from a tight-ish angle. Game over.

2101: GOALFLASH Man Utd 3-0 (agg 6-2) AC Milan (Park)

Burnley goal: A vital goal for the Clarets, who draw level when Martin Paterson crosses from the right and David Nugent leaps higher than Robert Huth to head home.

2059: GOALFLASH Burnley 1-1 Stoke (Nugent)

2059: Lyon have started the second half at the Bernabeu very brightly but they have just wasted a decent opportunity to take control of this tie, with Sidney Govou shooting wildly over from inside the area.

2058: A decent chance for Milan, who still 'only' need three goals to take this tie to extra-time, despite United having scored their second of the night. Ignazio Abate's drilled cross from the left finds Klaas Jan Huntelaar in front of goal but it is slightly behind the striker, who cannot keep his header down.

2055: We didn't see that protest before kick-off but the Man Utd fans are making their unhappiness with the Glazer regime very clear tonight, with a very vocal demonstration shortly after that second Wayne Rooney goal. On the pitch, Darren Fletcher just about gets enough on a header back to Edwin van der Sar with Marco Borriello closing in on the keeper.

From FrostySCFC on Twitter:
"Rory Delap is playing very well at Burnley this evening. Time people recognised there's more to him than the obvious."

2051: In all that excitement, I forgot to tell you that the second half has started at the Bernabeu now too.

Man Utd goal: Less than a minute after the restart, and Wayne Rooney has all but wrapped this one up for Manchester United. Nani runs down the left wing, before sending over a delicious cross with the outside of his right boot for the onrushing Rooney to steer the ball past the hapless Christian Abbiati for his 30th goal of the season. The only surprise is that he didn't score with his head this time...

2048: GOALFLASH Man Utd 2-0 (agg 5-2) AC Milan (Rooney)

2047: We are back under way at Old Trafford, where AC Milan have brought on Clarence Seedorf for Daniele Bonera.

2046: Football League Danny has only got one match to tell us about tonight, but he's still got his hands full: "It's a right Royal rumble over at the Madejski. Reading are now back in front against Derby, leading 2-1 thanks to Jimmy Kebe's goal. But that's not the half of it - Derby keeper Saul Deeney - on as a 13th-minute substitute for Stephen Bywater - has just been sent off for a professional foul. And Shane Long's just missed the penalty for the Royals - Robbie Savage has taken over between the sticks for the Rams. Lumme."

2043: BBC Sport's Phil McNulty at Old Trafford: "David Beckham is warming up during the interval, accompanied by hundreds of camera flashbulbs. He will have to roll his career back plenty of years to salvage anything from this for AC Milan. Much of the heart disappeared from the Italians with Wayne Rooney's goal and Manchester United are well in charge and heading for the last eight."

2038: Everything going according to plan for Man Utd then, with Wayne Rooney's goal putting them in total command of this tie. Things are more finely balanced at the Bernabeu, where Real lead Lyon 1-0 to leave that one level on aggregate. And, at Turf(less) Moor, Stoke are well on top against Burnley and also lead 1-0.

2031: Darren Fletcher gets a sight of goal from 25 yards out and lets fly with a rasping shot that fizzes the wrong side of Christian Abbiati's post. It wasn't far away, though.

2030: After 38 minutes Burnley have created their first real chance. Chris Eagles finds space down the left before finding Martin Paterson unmarked on the far post but the diminutive striker fluffs his lines and scuffs his shot wide of the post.

2028: Ronaldinho's crosses (and cross-field balls) are Milan's biggest threats when they come forward. Nothing is dropping for them in the box at the moment, though, with United crowding Andrea Pirlo out as he shapes to shoot. We're into the last minute of the first half too.

2028: Football League Danny is back, I wonder what he wants this time? "Gilles Sunu has equalised for Derby at Reading. That's 1-1 and a draw will leave both clubs looking nervously over their shoulders."

2027: The reason I ask is because, out of Rooney's last 11 goals, nine have come with his head. Compare that to four goals with his head in 316 matches before that. Oh, and Scholes has already made one of his wild lunges tonight, and only escaped a booking because he missed player (and ball).

2024: I have two questions for you... who has taught Wayne Rooney how to head the ball in the last few weeks, and can they get the same person to show Paul Scholes how to tackle?

2021: Man Utd are in the ascendancy at Old Trafford, where AC Milan have lost the zip they had coming forward in the opening minutes. Ronaldinho has gone very, very quiet recently... I think the two events might be linked.

2020: Our friends at Infostrada Sports tell us that only one other player has scored home and away against AC Milan in a European tie. Wayne Rooney has joined an exclusive club of two. His fellow member is 'El Rifle', Walter Pandiani - who did it with Deportivo La Coruña in 2003/2004.

From Richard in London, via text on 81111: "Re 2002. The pitch is lacking grass at Burnley? Do they need Moor Turf?"

2017: Goals everywhere now (well, at the four games I'm keeping tabs on tonight). Here's Football League Danny to tell us more: "First blood in the Championship goes to Reading who lead Derby 1-0 thanks to Shane Long's eighth-minute goal. Victory will be a huge boost for the Royals who are desperate to pull away from an increasingly-tense relegation fight."

2015: Another chance for Real, where Gonzalo Higuain almost makes amends for THAT miss (2012). His low shot heading straight for the bottom corner but Hugo Lloris, at full stretch, dives to his left to keep it out.

2014: BBC Sport's Phil McNulty at Old Trafford: "Manchester United's Gary Neville might 'hate Scousers' as the Old Trafford song goes, but he showed plenty of love for Wayne Rooney there with the most inviting cross for the unstoppable striker to head past Milan keeper Christian Abbiati. Milan might have taken encouragement from a couple of early openings but that goal was exactly what Sir Alex Ferguson craved - and no surprise who scored it."

Stoke goal: We've seen this happen before... Rory Delap delivers the long throw, Mamady Sidibe gets the flick and Tuncay runs in to head home from six yards out. Easy peasy. Burnley are in a spot of bother, though.

2013: GOALFLASH Burnley 0-1 Stoke (Tuncay)

2012: Remember that incredible miss by Ronnie Rosenthal for Liverpool in the 1990s? Gonzalo Higuain has done his best to emulate the Israeli with a staggering miss. Higuain beats the Lyon offside trap and rounds Hugo Lloris but can only fire against the post with the goal gaping. I'm embarrassed for him to be honest, and I'm just glad for his sake that (most of) you can't see it.

2008: Clever stuff from Antonio Valencia near the corner flag, with a cheeky back-heel against Marek Jankulovski that wins his side a corner... which is easily cleared.

2005: United have got to keep their focus. Ronaldinho is still probing the United defence and, when one of his dangerous crosses is not properly cleared, Andrea Pirlo flashes in a swerving shot from the edge of the area. Edwin van der Sar collects it at the second attempt.

2002: From what I'm being told, you are not missing much if you are not at Turf Moor tonight. The pitch is lacking grass and the game is lacking chances.

Man Utd goal: He's just unstoppable at the moment, isn't he? Gary Neville curls in a cross from the right and Wayne Rooney finds space to nod the ball into the bottom corner. That's his hat-trick of headers in the two legs of this tie and Milan now need three goals to win it...

1958: GOALFLASH Man Utd 1-0 (4-2 agg) AC Milan (Rooney)

From shivamlm on Twitter:
"Could be a long evening for Neville up against Ronaldinho, Rooney looks lively already... Milan need to slow the pace."

1955: Another scare for United, this time after Thiago Silva's glorious long ball finds Klaas Jan Huntelaar in space, and in front of goal... but his first touch is way to heavy and the chance is gone.

1953: A couple more efforts from Man Utd to tell you about, with Wayne Rooney blazing (miles) over before Gary Neville's effort flies rather closer to the bar (but still ends up in the crowd). At the other end, Milan threaten for the first time when Andrea Pirlo's free-kick is inadvertently flicked on by Nani and Ronaldinho's instinctive header goes narrowly wide.

Real goal: It's only taken them five minutes to level the tie on aggregate. Cristiano Ronaldo runs on to a ball played into the left-hand side of the Lyon area and his low shot flies through Hugo Lloris's legs and into the net. That's Ronaldo's seventh goal in this competition this season.

1950: GOALFLASH Real Madrid 1-0 (agg 1-1) Lyon (Ronaldo)

1949: A little later than expected, Burnley and Stoke have got started too. Not sure what the delay was all about.

1948: Lively start at Old Trafford, where United are on top... and almost ahead. Antonio Valencia dispossesses Marek Jankulovski down the right and feeds Wayne Rooney, who cuts inside and fires a low shot an inch or two wide. That was close.

1946: And we're under way at Old Trafford too. Don't worry, I will only be mentioning David Beckham when he does something interesting... like sneeze or cough.

1945: Real Madrid kick off against Lyon at the Bernabeu. Kaka has a pop on Real's first attack but Hugo Lloris saves his shot.

From JamieCutteridge on Twitter:
"Surely Man Utd are just going to walk this tonight; two up by 60 mins, Milan bring Becks on and score a free-kick, everyone's happy."

1942: The teams are in the tunnel at Old Trafford. Some very serious-looking faces on display.

1941: AC Milan star Ronaldino on his side's gameplan at Old Trafford: "Wayne Rooney was incredible in the first match. We have watched videos of the game and the key to victory for us will be stopping him receiving the ball close to our penalty area. If we can stop him our own options soar. We can beat United. As far as I am concerned, this match is like the Champions League final itself. I see a very attacking game with many goals."

1938: Burnley boss Brian Laws on his side's run of one win in their last 17 Premier League games that has seen them slide to second bottom in the table: "We are all enjoying it. Staying calm under these circumstances is most important for our players. We are an easy target. I want the players to go and prove a lot of people wrong."

From Sunny in London, via text on 81111: "It's good to see Clarence Seedorf on the bench. he always scores against Man Utd. As long as he is not starting, Man Utd will go through."

1935: Old Trafford referee Massimo Busacca may be in for a busy night, according to our friends at Infostrada Sports. Tonight's teams contain the top two most-booked all-time Champions League players - Paul Scholes (32 yellow cards) and Milan substitute Gennaro Gattuso (25 yellow cards).

1928: TEAM NEWS Man Utd v AC Milan So, David Beckham - who has not started a match since the first leg at the San Siro - must again content himself with a place on the AC Milan bench on his first appearance at Old Trafford playing against United, with former Arsenal star Mathieu Flamini preferred on the right side of the midfield, while the likes of Dida, Alessandro Nesta and Alexandre Pato are also missing from the visitors' line-up. Manchester United, however, are able to call on the services of Wayne Rooney following his recovery from a knee problem, so Dimitar Berbatov drops to the bench. There are also recalls for Gary Neville, Darren Fletcher and Ji-Sung Park.

From BBC Sport's David Garrido on Twitter:
"Becks looking spritely warming up - lots of flashbulbs popping. I'm also taking predictions on the minute he'll come on. I've bagsied 65. The Milan fans packed into the upper stand away to my right here are chanting like mad already. Save it for the game, lads."

1925: You've probably noticed that there's a couple of other games going on this evenings too, namely Burnley v Stoke in the Premier League and Reading v Derby in the Championship. I'll keep you across events in both of those too. Promise.

1921: BBC Sport's Phil McNulty at Old Trafford: "Whether the anti-Glazer protest goes ahead or not, there is real momentum to this campaign - with the increasing numbers of green and gold scarves the most obvious symbol of its growing strength. Sir Alex Ferguson has called for a united front from supporters tonight, while tempering optimism by warning Clarence Seedorf's late goal in the San Siro has changed the complexion slightly. Pity David Beckham is only on the bench - no sentiment from Milan coach Leonardo."

1919: TEAM NEWS Burnley v StokeBurnley boss Brian Laws makes one change from the side which lost 3-1 to Arsenal. In comes Steven Thompson, with Kevin McDonald relegated to the bench. Stoke boss Tony Pulis makes two changes from the team that lost to Chelsea in the FA Cup with Matthew Etherington and Liam Lawrence replacing Ricardo Fuller and Glenn Whelan.

1917: Apparently the fans boycott (below) is not now going ahead. But you can mount your own protest against the Glazers (or me) here if you like too. Don't boycott me though. So,
Tweet me gently on Twitter,
join the chat on
606,
or text me via 81111 (UK) or +44 7786200666 (worldwide).

1916: Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson on the protests by fans against the club's American owners that are
rumoured to have been planned ahead of tonight's tie:
"The fans won't do that. It is too important a game. Old Trafford will be rocking and I am sure whether they are wearing the traditional red and white or the protest green and gold scarves the supporters will be united and speaking with one voice to get us safely through."

1908: AC Milan's on-loan midfielder David Beckham, who left United in 2003, on his return to Old Trafford for the first time
since playing for England against Jamaica there on 3 June 2006:
"It will be good to see Sir Alex again. He's a scary man, but in a really good way. I wanted to stay at United for my whole career, but sometimes things aren't meant to be. I've been to three great clubs since I left United, but it would have been great to stay like Ryan Giggs has."

1906: Tonight's other Champions League last-16 tie sees nine-times European champions Real Madrid host Lyon at the Bernabeu, trying to overturn
a 1-0 first-leg deficit
and get past the first knockout stage of this competition for the first time in five years. To do so, they will definitely need to score at least once against a French side that have not conceded a goal for 620 minutes (or 10+ hours). Still, I'm sure the Real fans will be patient if they don't make an early breakthrough...

1902: Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson on his side's approach to the second leg of their tie with AC Milan: "We will try to do it our normal way and it will be an open game. I don't think we should be confused by the score of 3-2 - it does not represent a bye into the quarter-finals."

1901: 'Roo' starts tonight, by the way, which will be a relief to United fans who witnessed their
toothless display without him at Wolves over the weekend.
United could just try to shut up shop against the Rossoneri but the signs are Sir Alex Ferguson's side will instead be looking for more goals... and who would you back to bag you a couple? Yep, me too.

1857: I'm sure you haven't forgotten what happened in the first leg at the San Siro a few weeks ago but, just in case, here's a quick reminder:
It was an absolute cracker.
Wayne Rooney scored twice and United won 3-2 - meaning the Italian side have got a LOT of work to do to salvage the tie tonight.

1854: Yawn. I must admit I've got a bit tired of reading about how
'excited'
Becks is to be back at OT anyhow. Wayne Rooney and Ronaldinho are likely to have far more say over whether Manchester United or AC Milan progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League than the 34-year-old LA Galaxy loanee and sometime England midfielder, although Beckham's presence adds nostalgia to an already mouth-watering encounter and he is bound to, deservedly, get a fantastic reception whenever he makes his entrance into the match. He's also quite handy at free-kicks (you heard it here first).

1853: Er, hang on. What do you mean Becks is only going to be on the bench? I want my money back.

1851: Roll up, roll up. There's a circus in town. Ladies and gentlemen, it's the greatest show on earth, I bring you the one, the only, Dav-id Beck-ham, performing live in Manchester. Get your tickets here...

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